Witness and Tootsie - hi, yes I appreciate the sameness of SES and communism - how it started with an idea for good, but the wrong people with wrong ideas got involved and this had an adverse effect - but when I left after having been for another residential and having first hand experience of what appeared to be very bizarre and nipulative behaviours and practices - I was absolutely and totally convinced that these residentials are well thought out and designed to break those of us who are ready. I think they call it "ridding yourself of the ego" or some other nonsense - but believe me it was pretty odd stuff - David Lynch has nothing on this lot!

There were many lovely people I met who I will miss and who are every bit as misguided as I was, but there are some who are not. I appreciate what you say re no-one at the top appearing to be planning this, but I find it hard to believe all of this is not planned. I am positive it is - I observed and experienced what I can only call "mind numbing" and "mind controlling" practices.

I was speaking to someone who still attends and they have mentioned something about SES having "a lot of work to do in the next 3 years" - does anyone know what is meant by this? Or are they just getting carried away with the ideas of 2012 the movie??

Sorry, I don't mean to be flippant but my experience was not very pleasant - a bit like pyschological games devised by someone who wasnt qualified in this area.

><strong>Joanna Eberhart</strong>: If I am wrong, I'm insane... but if I'm right, it's even worse than if I was wrong. >more famous quotes<Stepford Wives

I imagine that person was saying that it will take at least the next three years for SES to rebrand, reform, remake itself before it can function normally without shedding members. In my opinion it will be more like 5-10 years, plus possibly a new name, some new rules and a new leader.

You write that you have:

first hand experience of what appeared to be very bizarre and nipulative behaviours and practices - I was absolutely and totally convinced that these residentials are well thought out and designed to break those of us who are ready. I think they call it "ridding yourself of the ego" or some other nonsense - but believe me it was pretty odd stuff - David Lynch has nothing on this lot!

Please go into detail about this. I have witnessed previously cheerful and open minded people coming back from these things physically shattered and mentally vacant. Talk us through all the details of a one-week resi, as precisely and as accurately as you can, as if you are describing it like a fly-on-the-wall documentary film. I have always wanted to know what they did to people there.

OK I'll try. Our day began at 5 am if you were serving tea, 6.15 if not. Meditation was at 7am followed by a talk. Breakfast followed with a short time for washing up/clearing up. Then another lecture, usually for 1 hour - 1 1/2 hours. Then some more duties/housework. Meet again for another lecture. Lunch. Another meeting, some discussion, short meditation. More household duties. Afternoon Tea. Some more study/talk/lecture. Time for bath and ready for dinner. Evening meditation and short talk. Dinner. Clear up and tidy, set up for breakfast. Evening lecture. Bed

It was difficult to sleep having to think and work late into the evening, there was no time to unwind or gather thoughts it just felt like being bombarded with information/lectures all day and night without any time to one's self. This in itself caused me great distress (and many others too). I shared a room with someone who chatted incessantly, some people shared with people who snored loudly, others with people who read till late. If you happened to be on the early shift you were sure to suffer even more sleep deprivation.

I noted the times when I did not conform to the set out rules I was punished by being given excessive or mundane tasks, when I appeared to conform things softened. I did this a few times so that I could observe what was happening - and that it was not my overtired mind.

I also observed how pressure was put on people to attend these events - no matter what stress it would cause in their family lives. A one week residential means the loss of a one week holiday with your family - and for those of us who could not afford two holidays a year we had to make a diffiult choice, Im sure one our children will remember as they grow up. There does not seem to be a lot of love, understanding or compassion in the SES. Surely they acknowledge that in serving and loving our families we are serving the Absolute. You cannot force a person into enlightenment by hard labour and a million words of the wise. We need to acknowledge we are all the Same whilst expressing the different parts of the Absolute we have that makes us all unique. And we need to acknowledge that we are human beings and that our bdoy's and minds are important. Yes we need help to keep our mind on the right things but that can be done with love, compassion and humour. I have gone on a bit - its late, I'll post bak tomorrow x

><strong>Joanna Eberhart</strong>: If I am wrong, I'm insane... but if I'm right, it's even worse than if I was wrong. >more famous quotes<Stepford Wives

This is account is fascinating as it is heroic in its honesty. Please continue into more detail, especially about precisely what events, or comments, or examples of behavior made you think this residential was carefully planned in advance, and that it was planned in order to break you mentally in order to expose you to conditioning. I think your record will serve as excellent insight for outsiders and newcomers. Thank you.